Nonfiction Navigators discussion
This topic is about
The Devil in the White City
Fall 2016
>
Devil in the White City
date
newest »
newest »
Changed America. New York: Crown, 2003. Print.
The Ferris Wheel, incandescent light bulbs, the hamburger, the Pledge of Allegiance, Kodak cameras, and America’s first serial killer: all of these have a great deal more in common that one might think. Each were introduced as a result of the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893. Erik Larson gives the background on all of the above in his book, The Devil in the White City: Magic, Murder, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America.
In this nonfiction account of the fair, Larson seamlessly ties two stories together. This book follows the trials and tribulations of two men, Daniel H. Burnham and H.H. Holmes. The former being the most influential architect of the fair and the latter a charming, cold-blooded killer. Flipping between the seemingly impossible race to finish construction of the fair in time and the shoddy construction of a psychopath’s murder hotel, this novel is hard to put down. By switching between these two stories, Larson creates a story that almost seems stranger than fiction.
Along with telling the story of two men, he also portrays the status of Chicago at the time. He paints a picture of a city riddled with death, smoke filled streets, and above all, opportunity. The promise of a new beginning that draws thousands to live in the big city is limitless. It attracts women living on their own for the first time and the men who are smart enough to take advantage of their naive worldview. Larson uses parallels throughout this book to offer a broad scope of the amazing wonder that the fair encompassed. While giving readers a glimpse at Chicago, he adds significant bits of history and gives detailed first-hand accounts from real people. Larson’s style is smooth, easy to follow, and creates a story that is gripping. His take on a feat as grandiose as this exposition, while adding the dark world of a sadistic womanizer, lives up to the magnificent nature of the fair itself.